WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) formally announced the upcoming retirement of its President and CEO Mark Parkinson, effective January 15, 2025. Parkinson has led the largest organization representing long term and post-acute care providers since 2011. Prior to his role at AHCA/NCAL, he served as the 45th Governor of the State of Kansas. He and his wife, Stacy, previously owned and operated several long term care facilities in Kansas and Missouri.
“It is bittersweet that we are announcing Mark Parkinson’s retirement,” said Phil Scalo, Chair of the American Health Care Association Board of Governors. “As AHCA/NCAL’s President and CEO for the last 13 years, Mark has been an incredible leader for our association, our members, and the long term care sector at large. Mark’s contributions to our association and sector are unmatched, and we cannot thank him enough for his unwavering dedication to improving the lives of our nation’s seniors. He will be deeply missed. We thank Mark for his years of service to our organization, and we wish him the very best in his retirement.”
“My overwhelming emotion is gratitude,” Parkinson said. “I am incredibly thankful to have had the opportunity to represent our members in Washington for the last 13 years. These have been the most important and rewarding years of my professional life. Together, we unified the profession to have one, powerful voice in D.C. and improved the lives of millions of residents. As I embark on this last year at AHCA/NCAL, I’ll continue to work hard every single day to achieve our objectives and support the Board and the incoming CEO. The most exciting times in the history of the profession are yet to come.”
Under Parkinson’s leadership, AHCA/NCAL has focused on delivering policy solutions to Capitol Hill and the Administration, with a special emphasis on quality care. During his tenure, AHCA/NCAL achieved several notable successes, including the development and launch of the Quality Initiative, a multi-year national endeavor to improve quality outcomes in long term and post-acute care facilities, and a merger with the Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care to unite the profession’s advocacy efforts. Additionally, Parkinson led the profession through the most difficult period of its history: the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting workforce crisis. Under his leadership and throughout the changes within the sector, AHCA/NCAL has remained the largest association in long term care and maintains record membership levels.
Parkinson’s vision and leadership has brought him recognition from multiple leading publications and programs. He was named a top lobbyist for 11 consecutive years (2013-2023) by The Hill, a Capitol Hill newspaper. Parkinson also had the distinction of being selected as one of the “100 Most Influential People in Healthcare” by Modern Healthcare in 2015, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023. Parkinson was named Top CEO in the small-employer category by The Washington Post 2019 Top Workplace survey, and Top Association CEO by CEO Update in 2013. Washingtonian selected Parkinson as one of Washington, DC’s 500 Most Influential People in 2022 and 2023. At an upcoming ceremony in March, he will receive the Career Achievement Award as part of the McKnight’s Pinnacle Awards.
In preparation for Parkinson’s retirement in early 2025, the AHCA/NCAL Board of Directors has begun its search for the next President and CEO. Details surrounding the leadership transition, timing, and next steps are forthcoming.